These Are the 27 Smartest Women on Earth

What does it mean to be a smart woman? At Spring.St, we believe the answer is much more than just knowing the answers to your kid's math homework.

It's about putting our smarts to work in savvy, strong and strategic ways—with a touch of sass as well.

In an era that generates a nearly permanent sense of outrage, no matter which side of the aisle you're on, the need for smart women to lead change has never been greater. That's why we've created Spring.St: to be a haven for smart content about smart women—women who are resilient, confident, empathetic and, most definitely, funny.

Women are the leaders of making change in the world today, which is why we're launching our site by highlighting 27 amazing women (and teams of women) who are changing the conversation around the world, whether in art, science, government, business or sports.

To us, these 27 Smartest Women on Earth set the bar for what women can do, and we are honored to introduce them all to you. But we know for certain that this list is only the beginning.

We invite you to join us on to add to our list. We've designed Spring.St to be a welcoming haven for women to share their opinions and their smarts. Let us know what you think.

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Gwynne Shotwell, President and COO, SpaceX

Shotwell is on a mission to Mars.
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Beth Comstock, Vice Chair, General Electric

The first female Vice Chair of General Electric is a force to be reckoned with.
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Susan Wojcicki, CEO, YouTube

The CEO of YouTube got her start renting her garage out to the founders of Google.
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Kamala Harris, United States Senator

She's the first black and Indian-American woman to serve in the United States Senate.
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Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland

Scotland's First Minister is a passionate and bold defender of Scotland, women, and a unified Europe.
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Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Sonia Sotomayor & Elena Kagan, Supreme Court Justices

Given the political moment, knowing these three women are on the Supreme Court is very comforting.
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Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany

The Chancellor of Germany has topped the 'Forbes' Most Powerful Women list 10 times.
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Lilly Wachowski & Lana Wachowski, Filmmakers

Filmmakers. Sisters. Transgender advocates.
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Dina Powell, Senior Counselor for Economic Initiatives, White House

Because someone in the White House needs to be a problem solver.
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Lydia Daniller, Co-Founder, OMGYes

Female pleasure is a cause we can all get behind (and in front of, and beside).
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Samantha Bee, Comedian and Entertainer

She's not sugarcoating anything. That's what's so good about her.
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Beyoncé + Solange Knowles, Entertainers

How can you split these two?
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Kara Swisher, Co-Founder, 'Recode'

Challenging journalists everywhere to fight harder for their turf and the truth.
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Meryl Streep, Actor

Her Golden Globes speech is just the latest reason to love her.
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The Women of Saturday Night Live, Comedy Geniuses

The women of 'SNL' have given us a dose of laughter when we need it the most.
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Ava DuVernay, Filmmaker

A filmmaker on a mission to tell the stories that matter to her and reflect her experience. And she's tapped a huge audience.
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Viola Davis, Actor

Meryl Streep is right. Viola Davis is inevitable.
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Elaine Welteroth, Editor-in-Chief, 'Teen Vogue'

Elaine Welteroth is proving that free expression, just like fashion, is all about owning your viewpoint and living with confidence.
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Michelle Obama, Former First Lady

We can't wait to see what she does next.
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Megyn Kelly, Journalist

Megyn Kelly, the not-so-conservative conservative, is destined for a bigger audience.
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Amal Clooney, Lawyer and Human Rights Advocate

No doubt about it. Amal Clooney is a force to be reckoned with.
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Chrissy Teigen, Model, Cookbook Author and Political Activist

It's Chrissy Teigen's willingness to embrace her imperfections that makes her so damn perfect.
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Tamika Mallory, Linda Sarsour, Bob Bland, Carmen Perez: Women's March Team

If the response to the Women's March is any indication, Washington will have no choice but to listen to these voices.
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Nadia Murad, Founder, Nadia's Initiative

A voice for victims of trafficking worldwide—and she’s just getting started.
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Serena Williams, World's Greatest Tennis Player

A woman we look up to more with every match.
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Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Author and Feminist Activist

Forget that time Beyoncé sampled her words. There's a lot more to pay attention to.
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Kimberly Bryant, Founder, Black Girls Code

Kimberly Bryant is on a mission to give young, black girls the representation they deserve.
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